Breaking Out: A Woman's Guide to Coping with Acne at Any Age

"I bought this book last year, after 15 yrs of utter suffering from acne. I am 35, female, and have pretty much been suffering from spots since my late teens. I have tried every product on the market, including prescription stuff, and Accutane when I was 21 which was wonderful (albeit risky), but it all came back a few years later. I was tired of my GP's laidback and clueless attitude ("it will go away", "cut down on fatty food or chocolate"). Some dermatologists didn't seem much more informed, and generally left me with raw sensitive skin AND still breakouts.

So, I decided it was time I educate myself and learned what I could do, since no-one else seemed to have the answers I was looking for. I read this book in one sitting and I can honestly say it has totally changed my outlook on acne, and helped me come up with a routine that suits me. As an acne sufferer herself, the author fully understands the psychological impact of acne, how devastating "a few spots" can feel, how you want to hide and not show your face in public ever again. She also thoroughly researched what exactly happens to the skin when we get flares, and explains this in simple but effective terms. The author also investigated every single topical or oral treatment, and obviously spoke at length to several key dermatologists and acne specialists. You will read information on sulfur, all antibiotics, accutane/roaccutane, retinol and Vit A, benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid, AHA's, salicylic acid etc etc, helping you create a routine that is relevant to your lifestyle, skin sensibility etc. She doesn't rule out anything, there are pros and cons to each product, but this will not leave you confused: you will pretty much decide what to retain from this list very quickly, since you know your skin better than anyone.

As as write this, the book is a few years old, but still very relevant to treatments and products available on the market. The minute I finished the book, I knew exactly where to start to come up with a routine that suits me. There are no miracle cures here, but understanding how certain products and chemicals affect the skin will help you come up with a routine that works for you. I liked the fact that the author had reviewed over-the-counter products by active chemical ingredients, which really helped me select products that could help me. She is certainly not promoting any particular brand, so the advice is always impartial. A crucial bit was also to understand how certain chemicals/products cancel each others beneficial effect if applied at the same time: this is key in understand what to apply, when, and to leave a gap of at least 30 mins between the 2 products. If I can fault this book on one thing though, it is the fact that it relates more to the US market than UK/Europe. Still, once you understand how the active ingredients work, you can find local products that work as well, or else rely on Ebay. There is one particular product I had to buy from the US, but so far one small bottle has lasted me for close to one year.

I slightly tweaked my personal routine after reading this book, and saw a visible improvement within 3 weeks. I basically use salicylic acid products in the morning, some 2.5% benzoyl peroxide product every second day, and a light retinol cream every other night. It works. I had a bit of a relapse last summer (I got cocky and stopped using the products as regularly), and since December, my skin has never looked so good. I still get the occasional spots, but the scars have faded (there are treatment and product reviews for these too in the book), and it's all manageable. My confidence has increased, and I feel a lot more sociable than I previously was. The best thing I guess, is to feel in control. Yes, at times of stress I know I will get some new flares, but they are much smaller, and I know what to do to get them under control quickly, and being much more relaxed about it creates less stress-related spots... so there is a way to break from the vicious circle.

So it comes as no surprise that I should highly recommend this book to everyone who suffers from acne, and is looking for answers. Again - no miracle cures here, but you will fully understand what do to to keep your spots under control and eventually banish them from your life.

"
~ Written on 2008-06-16

"I've read many pieces of information in relation to acne however none anywhere near as detailed, informative and explanitory as this one! I've learned so much more info about over the counter products, prescription products, specific ingredients, how to use most effectively, and after 10 yrs of suffering from acne, trying loads of products and thinking I knew most of what there was to know about it along comes this book and gives me exactly the knowledge I was looking for.

What if we could be given the time to sit with and interview the top dermatologists and acne experts in the world, scientists, cosmetic surgeons, specialsists on scarring and cosmetic chemistry, and ask all the questions we've always wondered? instead of the rushed 10 mins in and out of GP's/dermatologist surgeries. Well, this writer has done this along with spending many yrs researching through text books and medical journals.

So far I've only read around a fifth of this book since I bought it this week but I can't put it down, and already I've found the contents so useful.

Like I say a MUST Have read for all those with acne who've had enough!"
~ Written on 2007-12-27

"This book is packed full of references and researched details. The great thing about it is that its easy to read and is not biased towards any product.

I'm in my 30's and started to get acne after stopping the pill. It really affected my confidence. In total desperation, I searched the web for acne cures and bought this book based on reviews on the amazon.com website.

I had this book by my side for 2 weeks, reading it over and over again for all the medical and emotion advice.

One piece of advice it gave was to use Benoxyl Peroxide at 2.5% all over the face to prevent spots. For years, I had used Oxy 10 (Benoxyl Peroxide at 10%) as a spot treatment not knowing that its primary function is preventation and not cure. This book points out the true value of Benoxyl Peroxide, and says that 2.5% is just as effective as 10%, only a lot milder on the skin. I took this advice and saw immediate improvement in just 3 days! And now after 3 weeks, my skin is virtually clear. I was very skeptical at first because i had burnt my skin badly by smearing Benoxyl Peroxide 10% all over my forehead, so was reluctant to smear Benoxyl Peroxide at 2.5% over my face like a face cream. But I had tried all other treatments without success that I was prepared to try anything.

I've bought many many books from Amazon and has never 'wasted' my time to write a review. But I felt so strongly about how this book has helped me that I was compelled to let others know. I hope all other acne sufferers will find my advice useful."
~ Written on 2006-02-08